UND92,96

UND has to win one of its last two games to avoid having its fewest conference wins ever. 2-10 is the worst conference record in UND history, which last happened in the 1959-60 season. It would be pretty sad to have our worst season ever in the final year of the NCC.

UND fell behind 20-0 to start the game last night. Please, let this season end already. It's an absolute trainwreck.

Not to take anything away from USD, but when an inside-oriented team like UND shoots just four free throws, when they average about 22 attempts per game on the season, it just seems a little strange. Maybe USD's defense is just that good, but I still would have expected double figures in attempts. The previous season low was 12 attempts.

I didn't listen to the game tonight, but I'm guessing Roebuck won't be happy with the fact that UND shot just four free throws, compared to 26 by USD. You wouldn't expect that given the fact that we try to go inside at every opportunity.

With tonight's loss, it's all but assured that UND will fail to win the NCC, and not host the regional, for the first time since the 2003-04 season. I guess we can only hope that the Sioux will be able to do to USD what St. Cloud did to us a couple years ago--get swept during the regular season, but come back to win the third meeting in the regional.

I think the chances are good that Bamba will be the primary kick/punt returner next season. Fonseca is older than your average freshman, so although the linebacker positions are difficult to learn in the UND system, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't red shirt. Watkins and Cameron (as a punter) are the other freshmen who have a really good chance to play next year IMO. Benjamin may also have a shot.

I believe so.

Hmmm...a smallish, very fast returner/receiver who wears #18...where have I seen that before?

Another Canadian signee.

McFeely blog on Sioux schedule.

As mentioned in the men's basketball forum, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader has compiled a list of the top five NCC era players at Augie, USD and SDSU. Who would be on such a list for UND? This is extremely tough! I'll say (in no particular order): Jenny Crouse Sheri Kleinsasser Durene Heisler and here's when it gets really hard. A really good case could be made for any of the following: Whitney Meier Theresa LeCuyer Tiffany Pudenz Jaime Pudenz Kristi Boese Katie Richards Ashley Langen Kierah Kimbrough Becky Moen Marisa Leighton Considering Ashley Langen is going to end up as the all-time second leading scorer, and quite possibly the all-time rebounding leader, can she really be left off? LeCuyer was the national player of the year, but she was only at UND two years (as was Meier). How much more would have Richards and the Pudenz sisters have scored had they not been on teams with so many great players? I honestly can't come up with a list of just five.

It's possible. Apparently that's why Horner isn't playing in the Mon-Dak game. All three are apparently playing in the Shrine game(s).

Thanks.

Has anybody had a chance to see any of the region 2 tournament at the Betty? Jenna Gillett's Dakota Prairie team lost last night, but Katie Houdek's Grafton team will be playing for the title. I'm just curious whether anybody has seen either of them play recently.

You really have to hand it to MSU-Mankato coach Matt Margenthaler. He lost league mvp Luke Anderson, plus two other all-NCC players from last year's team, and returned no all-conference players, and yet has clinched the league title this year. I know some find him a bit abrasive, but he's apparently a heck of a coach.

Hard to believe Nichols and Sorensen didn't make it.

Hinrichs has withdrawn from consideration. link

Here's confirmation of the UND-SIU game. Should we start lobbying WDAZ now to get this one on tv?

If you go to the NCC site, and click on "upcoming games" (as opposed to "scoreboard") on the upper right hand part of the screen, it will give a link to video for the game. I'm not clear on whether it's subscription-only, though.

Sometimes it seems being on the top team is a key "unofficial" criterion (see Boese over Quigley), and sometimes it's not (see Quigley over Kimbrough last year). Hard to say how much that will factor into things.

Who's the frontrunner? I'm going to say Ashley Langen--16.6 ppg, 13 rpg, 2.2 assists/game (conference-only stats). Kierah Kimbrough is also a strong candidate with 17.9 ppg and 9.2 rpg. The other primary candidate is probably USD's Jeana Hoffman with 17.4 ppg, but she really doesn't have any other stat that jumps out at you.

I believe the tiebreakers are 1) head-to-head; 2) record against third-place team (and on down the line); 3) not sure after that. I don't recall whether margin of victory ever comes into play with regard to head-to-head. I do recall at least one year where there was a coin-flip.

Good ol' Coyote fan--long-winded as usual. I have no idea who is going to win on Thursday, but if your posting history on d2football.com is any indication, if USD loses you will offer up a 1000 word essay on how USD women's basketball is a huge disappointment (kind of like USD football this year, huh?)

The point is that when you have a terrible rebounding team and no post scoring, your margin for error isn't very great. That describes USD's team. And that is why they will be very vulnerable in the post season. In a one-and-done situation, I'd rather take my chances with a team that can rebound and that has a couple of great low post scorers, as opposed to relying on the 3.

True, the record could be better based upon a probably pretty soft schedule. But whether the caliber of play is better is another question.